OLIVER SEARCHES FOR AN IDENTITY BEYOND THE ARROW - With crime in Starling City at an all-time low thanks to the Arrow (Stephen Amell) and his team, Oliver thinks he can finally balance being both the Arrow and Oliver Queen and asks Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) out on a date. However, when a new villain (guest star Peter Stormare) emerges, who has claimed the name Vertigo from the recently deceased Count, Oliver is caught off-guard and someone close to him is hurt. Oliver and a newly suited up Roy (Colton Haynes) take on the Count. Meanwhile, Diggle (David Ramsey) becomes a father, Lance (Paul Blackthorne) is promoted to Captain, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) joins Arrow's inner circle and Felicity gets a part-time job at a tech store to make ends meet. Also, Oliver fights to regain his company, Queen Consolidated, but comes up against a very worthy opponent - the charming Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh).

"Arrow" stars Caity Lotz and Emily Bett Rickards joined Jonah Weiland on the world famous CBR Yacht at Comic-Con International in San Diego to talk about the upcoming third season of The CW's hit super hero series. Rickards spoke about injecting humor into the series as Felicity Smoak and her chemistry with Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen. Lotz discussed her experiences joining the cast in the second season as Sara Lance and her relationship with Nyssa (Katrina Law). Rickards also teases whether or not things might heat up between Oliver and Felicity in Season 3...

"Arrow's" Stephen Amell Teases Season Three

Rickards on bringing humor into the show as Felicity:"It was something that sort of came naturally but it made me realize that that is exactly what I want to do, so I'm very happy that I am the comedy outlet for the show and I've realized that -- and it may change in the future -- but comedy is definitely the way I want to go," said Rickards.

Rickards on her chemistry with "Arrow" lead Stephen Amell:"We're good friends. I'm so lucky to have found a friend in Stephen and all the cast," said Rickards. "And Caity, too -- we just do Tarot cards every week, which is really lame. [Laughs] We really do. I feel really lucky. Our whole cast is sort of, we've come into our own little group of love."

Lotz on joining the cast with Season 2 and playing such a pivotal role:"It's always good to be referred to as invading. That's like, 'Your presence is invading,' that sounds awesome!," Lotz said with a laugh. "No, it's been -- it was really cool. Everyone was super nice. It didn't take -- I think a little bit, I kind of kept to myself, and my character was very guarded anyway so that always like bleeds into life. It took me a little bit to kind of like get into the groove with everybody, and it's been so much fun. I've had so much fun. It's awesome."

Lotz on her character's relationship with Nyssa being handled just like any other:"Because it is. And actually, I really love that we brought it up in the show because gay and lesbian are like a huge thing, the fact that it's even an issue still is ridiculous to me," said Lotz. "I think they brought it into the show very -- it's casual, it's not this like scandalous thing.""It wasn't on a pedestal, it was just a relationship," said Rickards."It's just about love. And it's, you know, it doesn't matter who you connect to, how you connect if it's true to you and you feel that person," Lotz continued. "I think that the story really stayed true to that and I respect that and I'm glad that I got to be a part of it and hope that I bring kind of more awareness to that kind of stuff."On the 'will they/won't they' tension between Felicity and Oliver:"It's not up to me. It's up to Felicity, and I think she does love Oliver and I think they do have a connection and it's beautiful," said Rickards. "But that beauty can be ruined so easily and so quickly, which is probably why they haven't gotten together in the first place. And relationships are so complicated -- any relationship is so complicated -- and then they have life and death at stake every single day. Love is love."

Arrow - Episode 3.01 - The Calm - Sneak Peek

What the fuck did they just do?????? They just killed Sara??????? Now they just ruined the whole season opening within five seconds ... no thanks for that ... damn it.Right now I'm absolutely pissed, because that was completely unnecessary and senseless. So they pulled the next Shado??Maybe I should just cancel this show, there are more than enough other ones, where I don't have the feeling to be messed around ... Yeah, I think that was it for me.Let's see, if they handle The Flash better ...

Sara had to die at some point so Laurel will take over the mantle of Canary,...

And that is exactly what never works for me. Because I don't know the comics or the books and I honestly don't care.For two whole seasons I had problems with that Laurel character and her lame story. Whereas Caty was fine as Black Canary.So Sara "had" to die for the boring Laurel to take over? No, thanks, not working for me, sorry ...BTW, maybe I'm in a bad mood now, but I didn't care for this Olicity ship either. Felicity is (was?) a cool character, but ending up just making more and more silly mooneyes on Oliver?? Doesn't work for me either.But well, if the writers have to do what they have to do ... maybe without me then ...

I didnt like the BC character, but I too think it is stupid to kill her off, after being a main character last season.

What I would have done is have her give up the BC role and go off and reinvent herself as a new person and character.Then she could still pop in later on.That would free up the role for laurel.I also agree they shouldn't follow the comic, but they may have to depending on the contract they signed.I would want artistic freedom to do whatever I wanted to.

I think it was smart if the other characters can grow from it, which I think they will. Also, you are right, because DC owns the rights they have to follow the comic storyline somewhat, they make little changes here and there, but essentially they are following the Green Arrow path. Hopefully we get to see a new side of Laurel this season, as she begins to move toward taking up the Canary mantel.

the "Canary" mantel........ Ok this is one problem I have with DC or not enough artistic freedom.The Canary name is outdated. Dc has many older ones with bad names, and these names would not occur in todays world.As best I can remember, they never called caty the Canary did they??She may have looked like the modern version when in costume, but they did not use the name muxh as it sucks, so why use it at all?Even in the comics some of their names should be updated.The whole deal is if it doesnt make money it is off the air, the better it does the more $ they make, so DC should not worry about tv or movie changes, it would not affect their comic sales. but then they stand to make more in tv and movies.

Much like the comics , Marvel has now taken over the movie scene, and will eventually take the tv scene.

In the comic her name is The Black Canary, so I think Canary sounds better, and more modern. I don't think Arrow is in any danger of going anywhere soon, I did read an interview with the show runner and they plan to run the series for 5 seasons, for each year Oliver was "Missing".

O yeah Arrow will get the 5 seasons, with the ratings it has got so far.

I just saw the ep 201, and it was good to me, I dont know why Tscc got so pissed, it was kinda stupid to kill off caty when they could have her go off somewhere, but all show runners like to kill people off.

The felicty oliver stuff was ok to me and apparently just for this ep.

But what I wonder is who shot canary? and were they trying to make it look like arrow did it.?She did know the person, and also why would they want to kill her? and why would she come backif she left cause she wanted to?

I think it was someone from the league since Ra's is the main villain this season, of course, it could've been Thea or Malcom Merlyn. I liked the premiere as well, even the Hong Kong scenes. The only thing about Felicity is they are spreading her romantically thin, Ollie, Barry, and now Ray Palmer. Seems a little much. I liked Roy as Arsenal a lot too!

I think it was someone from the league since Ra's is the main villain this season, of course, it could've been Thea or Malcom Merlyn. I liked the premiere as well, even the Hong Kong scenes. The only thing about Felicity is they are spreading her romantically thin, Ollie, Barry, and now Ray Palmer. Seems a little much. I liked Roy as Arsenal a lot too!

OK that is sort of what I thought, but now they need to at least at some point say the why.

Roy was ok, they need to develop him a little, right now I still think of him as the crazy strong guy.